Cutlassfishes of the Genus Lepidopus (Trichiuridae), with Two New Eastern Pacific Species
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Japanese Journal of Ichthyology 魚 類 学 雑 誌 Vol.33, No.4 1987 33巻4号1987年 Cutlassfishes of the Genus Lepidopus (Trichiuridae), with Two New Eastern Pacific Species Richard H. Rosenblatt and Raymond R. Wilson, Jr. (Received January 5, 1986) Abstract Three of the five known species of Lepidopus occur in the eastern Pacific. Lepidopus manis sp. nov. is described from a single specimen from the Galapagos Islands. The holotype of L. xantusi Goode et Bean, 1895, supposedly from Cape San Lucas, Lower California, is shown to be conspecific with L. caudatus (Euphrasen, 1788). The species heretofore reported under the name L. xantusi is described, and named L. fitchi sp. nov. It ranges from Oregon to the Gulf of California and occurs disjunctly in southern Ecuador and northern Peru. A key to the described species of Lepidopus is given and certain morphological features of L. caudatus are described. Geographic variability of L. caudatus and L. fitchi is discussed. The cutlassfishes of the genus Lepidopus were of Natural History (USNM), Oregon State Uni- last reviewed by Tucker (1956) in his preliminary versity (OS), Scripps Institution of Oceanography revision of the Trichiuridae. However, he gave (SIO), and Department of Biology, University of data on but two specimens of L. caudatus, and California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Paratypes had no material of the other putative species, L. of L. fitchi sp. nov. will be deposited at USNM, xantusi. Since that time five important contri- CAS and the British Museum (Natural History). butions have appeared; Fitch and Gotshall (1972) Measurements and counts follow the methods of and Mikhaylin (1982) provided data on Northeast Hubbs and Lagler (1958); counts were obtained and Southeast Pacific specimens of Lepidopus and from radiographs or cleared and stained specimens. Mikhaylin (1977) has discussed variability in L. The presence of rudimentary pelvic soft-rays could caudatus. Parin and Mikhaylin (1981) described only be determined from cleared and stained a new species from the Southeastern Atlantic, L. material. All specimen lengths are standard dubius, and established that Tucker's (1957) record lengths. of Evoxymetopon taeniatus represents an additional undescribed species from the western Atlantic. Recently, Parin and Mikhaylin (1982) have describ- Lepidopus Gouan, 1770 ed a new species, L. calcar, from Colahan Sea- Among the trichiurids with pelvics and a caudal mount, on the Hawaiian Ridge in the Central fin, Lepidopus differs from Assurger and Evoxy- Pacific. metopon in lacking a sagittal crest running from the Our interest in the genus was occasioned by a snout to the dorsal origin, producing a convex specimen in the Scripps Institution collection which profile, and from Diplospinus, Aphanopus, and did not appear to be referable to any known spe- Benthodesmus in having a continuous dorsal fin cies. Our study indicates that there are two without a notch. It differs further from the latter undescribed species of Lepidopus in the eastern genera in having 9 rather than 30 or more dorsal Pacific. It is the purpose of this paper to dis- spines. tinguish the species of the genus and describe and name the two eastern Pacific species. Key to the species of Lepidopus Materials and methods a. Dorsal rays 91-110, vertebrae1 98-114.•c2 b. Dorsal rays 78-89, vertebrae 84-96•c31 The specimens examined in this study are 2a. Premaxillary fangs barbed at tip, second anal housed in the following institutions: California spine flattened and plate-like, dorsal rays 98- Academy of Sciences (CAS), National Museum 110, anal rays II, 59-66, vertebrae 105-114•c ―342― Rosenblatt and Wilson: Classification of Lepidopus L. caudatus (Euphrasen). North and South jaw included; symphysis of mandible sloping up- Atlantic and Southwest Pacific ward at a steep angle from an anterior knob. 2b. Premaxillary fangs smooth, second anal spine Teeth flattened, lanceolate, premaxillary fangs elongated, stout and spur-like, dorsal rays 91- barbed at tip. An outer row of 21 teeth on left 93, anal rays II, 44-47, vertebrae 98-100 dentary. No teeth on vomer or tongue. A L. calcar Parin et Mikhaylin. Central •c Pacific single row of small, conical teeth along palatine. 3a. Head length more than six (6.6) in standard Nostril an elongate oval about one-fifth snout length. Body depth about 16 in standard length before eye. Interorbit concave, with a length. Second anal spine large, with a trough between elevated ridges over eyes, trough strong medial ridge and its margins flaring continued posteriorly between converging frontal laterally•cL. dubius Parin et Mikhaylin. crests at rear margin of eyes. Frontal crests rising Southeast Atlantic over posterior part of eye, elevated at confluence, 3b. Head length less than six (4.2-5.3) in standard which is at posterior margin of eye. A ridge length. Body depth 9 to 13 in standard formed by first pterygiophore extends from dorsal length. Second anal spine flat and triangular•c•c origin almost to apex of frontal confluence, form- 4 ing a sagittal crest. Posterior margin of opercle 4a. Eye large, fleshy orbit 4 in head length; caudal evenly rounded. Dorsal origin at anterior juncture span greater than length of upper caudal of opercular bone with head. Dorsal rays damaged lobe. Dorsal rays 89, vertebrae 94•cL. in available specimen, but no elements are branched manis sp. nov. Galapagos Islands or segmented. According to Tucker (1956) there 4b. Eye smaller, fleshy orbit 5 or more in head are nine spinous elements in the species, as is the length, caudal span less than length of upper case in our specimen. Origin of anal in middle caudal lobe. Dorsal rays 78-86, vertebrae third of body length. Only second anal spine ex- 78-92•cL. fitchi sp. nov. Eastern Pacific ternally obvious, flattened and covered by skin. First spine represented by a thickening of the skin. Only last 23 anal rays protrude beyond body epidopus caudatus (Euphrasen, 1788) L outline. Caudal peduncle very slender, its depth about 5 References in the synonymy given by Tucker (1956) in its length. Caudal well developed and lunate, are not repeated here. length of upper lobe about 3 in head. Length of Lepidopus caudatus: Jordan and Gilbert, 1882: 358. upper lobe about equal to caudal span. Goode and Bean, 1895: 203. Jordan and Evermann, Pectorals inserted low on body, lower corner of 1896: 886, 1900, pl. 136, fig. 373. base just below level of lower border of orbit. Lepidopus xantusi Goode and Bean 1895: 519. Holo- type USNM 10115, Cape San Lucas, Lower Cali- Lower rays of pectoral the longest. Pelvic girdle fornia, Mexico. present, each pelvic fin represented by a flattened, plate-like spine. Description. Based on CAS 10553, Canary Lateral line originates at upper corner of opercle, Islands, 1048mm. Ranges in parentheses for curves concavely downward to midline, which is Southeastern Atlantic specimens recalculated from reached about 0.8 head lengths behind head, then Mikhaylin (1977). Fin ray counts and vertebral descends gradually so that it is on lower third of counts from Tucker (1956), Mikhaylin (1977), and side just before its termination, which is about at Scott (1962). end of anal base. D IX, 98-110; A II, 59-66; P1 12, P2 I, ?; Ver- Color. Accounts agree that the fish is silver in tebrae 105-114; Br 7; GR 12+1+8 (16-21). life, as indicated by the common name "frost- Body depth at pelvics 18 (12.3-14.9), and depth fish". Mikhaylin (1977) reported the occurrence at caudal peduncle 228 in standard length (SL). of black pigmentation on the membrane between Body strongly compressed, ribbon-like. Head 8 the first and third and seventh to ninth dorsal rays (5.7-6.8) in SL. Eye large, 4.8 in head and 1.8 in in specimens from the South Atlantic. Scott snout, barely entering profile of head. Interorbit (1962) reported the occurrence of the I-III spot 1.6 in eye, snout 2.7 in head. Mouth large, maxilla but made no mention of the VII-IX spot in New ending just before anterior margin of pupil, upper Zealand L. caudatus. According to Mikhaylin, ―343― 魚類学雑誌 Japan. J. Ichthyol. 33(4),1987 Fig. 1. Distribution of 5 species of Lepidopus. Shaded area, range of L. caudatus (open square, Gettysburg Seamount). Solid squares, records of L. dubius. Solid triangles, records of L. fitchi (solid star, type locality), Open triangle, type locality of L. xantusi. Open star, type locality of L. manis. Solid circle, type locality of L. calcar. specimens from the Azores and the Canary Islands tion in vertebral and dorsal counts. The presence lack this conspicuous black pigmentation and have of the Gettysburg Seamount population of south- instead a blackish-gray dorsal fin. ern type fish is puzzling; no specimen has been Distribution. Norway, Canary Islands, and reported from between about 12•‹N and 17•‹S. Cape Frio to Agulhas Bank in the eastern Atlantic; Nevertheless, it does indicate that the meristic dif- Mediterranean (Parin and Becker, 1973); South ferences noted by Mikhaylin are maintained in Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand in the western sympatry and probably warrant recognition at the Pacific (Scott, 1962); Cape San Lucas, Baja Cali- species level. The Gettysburg Seamount popula- fornia (see "Remarks" under L. fitchi) (Fig. 1). tion does differ somewhat from both North Atlantic Remarks. Mikhaylin (1977) conducted an ex- and South African material in anal ray number. tensive variation study of L. caudatus in the At- Although Mikhaylin's study forms a solid basis lantic. He established that samples from the for understanding Lepidopus caudatus, sensu lato, Azores and the Canary Islands differ from samples it is clear that adequate material from more locali- from South Africa in dorsal and anal rays and ties, including the Mediterranean, Australia, and vertebrae (Figs.